Sometimes people get Paragliding confused with Parasailing. Parasailing is typically when you are towed behind a boat and attached with a tow line. I have also done this and I have a section on Parasailing. Paragliding is more like soaring in a sailplane but only in a parachute and you are not attached to anything but rather free to soar on lifting air currents.
This was a bit of a crash landing. Someone got in our way as we were landing and we had to make a last minute adjustment.
This is on final approach to the landing area along the top of the cliffs.
Sailing along the cliffs above the beach and pacific.
Sailing over Torrey Pines, La Jolla (San Diego) California.
Sailing over a nude beach at the foot of the cliffs at the La Jolla glider port. You can see my parachute shadow over the people playing vollyball.
Sailing along the bluffs to catch the wind currents and along the beach and pacific.
All smiles and back in one piece even with a bit of an unexpected crash landing.
Me and a great instructor! I told this guy that I was a private pilot, had flown sailplanes, skydived and done some aerobatic lessons in a bi-plane and wanted to see what could be done with paragliding. We launched off the cliffs, did some spiriling dives down to the beach and back up above the cliffs. Flew along the cliffs over the golf course and then did a real high speed spiriling power dive by the cliffs with a real high "G" pull out right next to the cliffs. You can see this in the following video link. This guy was a real pro and I had no idea you could do this type of aerobatics with a paraglider.
End of a great day!
This is a video of some aerobatic paragliding instruction I received in San Diego.
